Holder for books



y 1952 c. H. LIPA 2,595,682

HOLDER FOR BOOKS Filed June 11, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 INVENTOR. CAB/SPIN h. A/pA C. H. LIPA HOLDER FOR BOOKS 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed June 11, 1948 INVENTOR. (Q/s'PI/v b. Z/PA Patented May 6, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I I 2,595,682 HOLDER ron lSOOKS Crispin -H. Lipa, Quezon City, Rizal, Philippines Application June 11, 1948, Serial No. 32,401

'Ihisinv'ention relates to book holders.

. .An object of the invention is the provision of a device'for holding a book open in a convenient position for a student or reader, the device being so constructed that it may be folded into a small compact flat bundle for transportation in a brief case or for storage, means being included for retaining the book holder in an erect operative position, said means being releasable when the device is folded.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a book holder in which a narrow shell pivoted on the lower end of a rest supports a book leaning against the rest in an open position, the rest being hinged at its lower end on one end of a small base and inclined at an approximate angle of sixty five' degrees to'the base, the pages of the open book being retained in position by fingers pivoted on the shelf, the base and shelf being foldable flat against the rest to form a small and compact. mass for transportation in .a bag or for storage in a drawer, the rest being held man inclin'ed book-supporting position by a releasable means associated with the base and rest.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description; in View of the accompanying drawings, nevertheless it is to be understood the invention is not confined to the disclosure, being susceptible of such modifications which shall define no material departure from the salientfeatures of the invention as expressed in the appended claims:

I the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of one form of my book holder shown folded into a flat compact mass,

Figure 2 is a side view of the book holder in an operative position,

Figure 3 is an enlarged View in perspectiveof the book holder in an operative position,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3,

. Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical section of a modified form of the book holder shown in folded condition,

Figure 6 is a longitudinal vertical section of the modified form shown in an open or operative position,

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the book holder shown in position reversed from that of Figure 6, and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary transverse vertical section taken along the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Referring more particularly to Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, l0 designates a base which is adapted to be placed on a table or desk. A narrow metal 2 Claims. (CI. 45-57) strap H is secured at l2 to each side edge of the base. A free end I 3 of each strap projects beyond the front edge of the base and is provided with a perforation l 4. The free end is turned upwardly at an obtuse angle to the upper edge of each strap. The top and bottom edges of the straps are flush with the respective top and bottom surfaces of the base.

Spaced hinges 2!! connect the lower end of a book rest 2| to the inner edge of the base. The leaves of said hinges are secured in pockets countersunk in the base and rest. A leaf each of a pair of hinges 22 are secured in countersunk pockets at the lower end of the front face of the rest.

A shelf 23 has countersunk pockets at the upper face thereof in which are secured the other leaves of the hinges 22. It will be seen from Figure 1 that the bottom face of the shelf 23 is flush with the bottom edge of the rest 2| so that the inner edge of the shelf will be in flat engagement with the front face of the rest 2| whenthe holder is in an operative position as shown in Figured.

The side edges of the shelf towards the front are cut-away to form seats 25. A finger or. leafholder 26 is pivoted on a pin 21 driven into each side edge of the cut-away portion 25. These fingers are adapted to be raised and pressed against the pages of an open book 25 resting on the shelf 23.

A metal strap 33 is secured flat against each side edge of the shelf by pins 3|. A free end of each strap extends rearwardly of the shelf and is provided with an opening 32 which is adapted to align with the opening I4 in the projection 13 on the straps H and a passage 33 bored in the lower end of each side edge of the rest 2|. A pin 34 is inserted through the aligned openings M and 32 and into the passage 33 at each side of the book holder for retaining the shelf 2| in an inclined position as shown in Figure 2.

The-base l0 has a beveled edge 35 sheared off at an angle of sixty-five degrees so that the rest will incline at the same angle when in an operative position and the shelf 23 will be disposed at right angles to the rest.

In order to disassemble the holder, the pins 34 are removed. The shelf 23 is folded flat against the front face of the rest while the base [0 is folded against the back of the rest. The pins 34 are reinserted into the passages 33 in inoperative positions. The fingers or leaf-retainers 26 will also lie flat against the rest to provide a flat package which is approximately threefourths of an inch thick, since the base, the

. the opposite sides of the recess. .ends of said guides are received by grooves 54 .in the. side edges of theguard. An opening 55 in the rest .42 and extended inwardly from the v.recess 5l. is adapted topocket the free end of the member 48 when the book holder is folded (Figure 5). The guard has a notch 56 into rest, and the shelf are each one-quarter of an inch in thickness.

The rest 2|, base l and shelf 23 are manufactured from a good quality of plywood having three plies. The fingers are formed of small strips of wood which will not be broken readily when in use.

Referring more particularly to Figures to 8, inclusive, it will be seen that the base 40 has a beveled edge 4| adapted to contact the lower end of the rear face of the rest 42 which is" pivotally connected by hinges 43 to the inner end of the base. A shelf 44 is so pivoted to the front of the rest by hinges 45 that the bottom face of the shelf is flush with the lower edge of the rest when the modified form of the book holder is in an operative position (Figure 6). Pivoted fingers or leaf-retainers 46 are arranged on the shelf in a manner identical with that shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive.

It willbe noted that the shelf is retainedat 'right angles to the rest 42 (Figured) while the rest inclines at an angle of sixty-five degrees to the base 45. A- modified form of means is employed for holding the rest in an operative position and said means includes a triangularly shaped member 48 secured to the upper surface of the base 40 adjacent the inclined front. edge 4| of said base and midway between the side edges thereof.

A guide 50 is slidable in a recess 5| in the bottom of the rest 42 at the rear face thereof (Figure 7). The guard rests on the bottom of the recess and is held in place by .a pair of spaced guides 52 secured in countersunk pockets 53 at The inner free which a finger .nail may be inserted to aid in raising said guard.

The elements of the modified form of the book holder are manufactured preferablyfrom any of the well-known plastics. The hinges, however are made of metal. Plywood may be also employed with the exception of the guides 52 and the guard 50 which will require plain wood.

.When the holder is .in an erect position (Figure 6), the guard 50 has been lowered so that one edge of the member 48 will engage the guard .and retain the rest 42 elevated. If it be desired to fold the holder into a compact mass, the guard is raised so that the free pointed end of .the member will move into the opening 55 when the base 40 is moved into fiat contact with the rest 42. The shelf 44 together with the leafretainers are folded against the front face of the rest.

. WhatI claim:

.1. In a hookholder, a base, a shelf having .one end arranged in facing spaced relation with respect to one end of said base, a rest arranged transversely of said base and shelf and having one end interposed in the spacebetween the vfacing ends of said base and shelf, means on the confronting faces of said rest and base for .pivotally connecting the base to said rest for swinging movement of the base toward and away from said rest, means on the confronting faces of said rest and shelf for pivotally connecting the shelf to said rest for swinging movement of the shelf toward and away from said rest, a finger holder arranged on the other end of said shelf and connected to the latter end for swinging movement into and out of engagement with opposite pages of an open book when the shelf is in its position of movement away from said. rest and supports in conjunction with said rest said open book, and co-acting means each in position of movement away from said .rest, said co-acting means embodying a triangular-shaped member carried by the face of said base confronting said rest, and a guard on the face ofsaid rest confronting the face carrying the triangular-shaped member and movably mounted for engagement with said triangularshaped member.

2..In a book holder, a base, a shelf having one end arranged in facing spaced relation with respect to one end of said base, a rest arranged transversely of said base and shelf and having one end interposed in the space between the facing ends of said base and shelf, means on the confronting faces of said rest and base for pivotally connecting the base to said rest for swinging movement of the base toward and away from said rest, means on the confronting faces of said rest and shelf for pivotally connecting the shelf to said rest for swinging movement 01' the shelf toward and away from said rest, a fingerholder arranged on the other endof said shelf and connected to the latter endfor swinging movement into and out of engagement with the opposite pages of anopen book when .the shelf is in its position of movement away from said rest and supports in conjunction with said rest said open book, and co-actingmeans on. said base and said rest for.retaining the .rest in position when said shelf and said base are each in position of movement away from said rest, said co-acting means embodyinga triangular-shaped member carriedby the face of said base confronting said rest, a guard on the face of said rest confronting the face carrying the triangular-shaped member-and movably mounted for engagement with said triangular-shaped member, and hand-actuable means on said guard for moving the latter out of engagement with said triangular-shaped member.

CRISPIN H. LIPA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 395,715 Nichols Jan. .8, 1889 456,089 Harrison July 14, 1891 541,834 Buckland July 2, 1895 751,892 Andre Feb. 9,1904 1,197,233 Plamondon et al. Sept. 5,1916 1,821,060 Isaacson Sept. 1, 1931 1,864,972 Bickford June 28, 1932 2,210,220 Soisson .Aug. 6, 1940 

